I met Margaret over the phone this weekend. She's a sophomore in college, and a friend of my niece. I'm thrilled that she's agreed to an internship with me. Margaret will be helping me promote my book, Disconnected, using digital marketing techniques.
I asked Margaret to tell me about herself and what she wanted to get out of the internship. She told me she understood the importance of my topic - the negative impacts of tech on mental health especially to young adults who had smartphones in middle school. In high school, Margaret began to sense that being online so much was detrimental to her emotional wellbeing. She believes tech abuse has caused a lot harm to people her age, and wants to work toward a solution.
Then she told me to watch the recently released Netflix documentary "The Social Dilemma."
I watched it last night and was overjoyed to see many brilliant tech minds who are coming forward and clearly articulating the harm that's being done to young people and society as a whole because of unethical tech practices.
In the documentary, you will hear how tech geniuses from Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube:
· Figured out how to leverage the vulnerabilities of our brain to force online addictions in order to increase advertising revenue
· Change a person's mindset slowly, without them being aware they are being manipulated in order to deliver what their paying customers want, be it a loyal consumer or a political activist
· Have not been regulated the way other mass communication providers have been and as a result, they deliver whatever gets them the most money without regard for whom it may harm
· Have avoided having to pay for the personal data they collect; they then use that data to make money
Consider watching "The Social Dilemma" to become more aware of this problem. Then decide what you want to do about it. Do you know a young adult like Margaret? Start a conversation with that person. Ask questions, get thoughtful answers and work together to inspire change when it comes to online behaviors.
Key Points:
- Widespread tech and social media use is harming young adults’ mental health — awareness and intentional leadership around “digital wellbeing” are more important than ever.
- Leaders and mentors can help younger generations navigate tech responsibly by opening honest conversations about online behavior and promoting real‑life connection.